Gripper



April 18, 1950- R. T. RIKER 'E-TAL GRIPPER- Filed Dec. 14, 1945 INVENTORJ- /Poberz T Biker 0'' Joseph H Map/27 A TTOR/VEX Patented Apr. 18,1950 9 GRIPPER Robert T. Riker and Joseph H. Molat, New York, N. Y.

' Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 635,130

3 Claims. (01. 294-20) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention relates in general to a device for moving fittings, and in particular to such a device for moving tubular fittings, such as elongated electric lamps, into and out of engagement with the supporting means therefor.

Fluorescent light fixtures and other fittings are often located in elevated positions or in other positions inaccessible to hand operation from the floor. In order to eliminate the necessity of stepladders, staging, or scafiolding it is often desirable to use an implement having a long handle for grasping and removing such fixtures. Fluorescent lamp fixtures, in particular, have a very limited space within which such an implement can be inserted.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described that can be readily inserted into a fixture, such as a fluorescent lamp fixture, having a limited space between fitting and fixture.

Another object is to provide such a device having an improved mechanism for tightening the jaws thereof whereby said fittings can be firmly grasped.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and operation, will be apparent from the following description and claims in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the device of this invention, partially cut away, in order to show the novel working mechanism thereof,

Fig. 2 is an elevation view looking from the left side of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an elevation view showing the device in operation upon a fluorescent light tube.

The device of this invention, comprises an elongated handle H] of wood or other lightweight material, bored and threaded at one end, as at l2, and having mounted thereon a head or block It provided with a communicating channel 16. The head M can be so mounted on the handle as to allow rotation only, or can be merely placed thereon and held by the mechanism described below. A member 18 is disposed within the channel l6 and is provided with a threaded section 20 onto which the handle is screwed. Member I8 is axially slidable within the block [4 but is prevented from rotation therein by section 22 of square or other irregular shape in 00- operation with the lower portion of the channel It which is of corresponding irregular shape. The top part of channel P6 is enlarged so as to provide shoulders 24 upon which a washer 26 is seated. Disposed about member l8 and bearing on the washer 26 and upon another washer 28 is a spring 30. Washer 28, in turn, bears upon the lower portions of links 32 which are rotatably connected to the member as at 34. These links 32 are rotatably connected at their other ends I to a pair of spaced, resilient jaws 3B. These jaws 35 are further secured at the top of the block M by hinges 40. Links 32 form a toggle joint having the knee thereof at 34.

The jaws 36 are slightly elongated, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and are shaped so as to accommodate a tubular fitting such as a fluorescent light'tube. Optionally, however, they can be shaped to accommodate other types of fittings. The jaws 36 are also provided internally with a flexible compressible material having a good gripping surface, such as soft rubber. Due to the spacing and shape of the jaws 36 they can be readily inserted into a fixture and around the fitting thereof, requiring very little clearance in excess of that required by the thickness of the jaws and internal padding.

In operation, the jaws 36 are opened by holding the block l4 and rotating the handle Ill so as to unscrew it from threaded portion 20 of the member l8. The spring 30 bearing upon washer 2'5 forces the head l4 downward relative to member I8 against the top of the handle 10 causing the jaws 36 to be spread apart due to the cooperation of the hinges 40 and the links 32. The jaws 36 are then placed about a fitting, such as fluorescent lamp tube 44 shown in Fig. 3, and the handle I0 is rotated in the opposite direction. This forces the head l4 upwards in relation to member l8 compressing spring 30 and causing links 32 to be drawn downwards, and in turn causing the jaws 36 to be drawn together.

In the changing of fluorescent lamp tubes if suflicient rotation of the tube cannot be effected by swinging the handle H] in order to unseat the tub from its socket, an auxiliary tube rotating device can be used. A device of this type is shown in my copending application, Serial No. 635,128, filed December 14, 1945, issued June 14, 1949 as Patent #2,4'72,858. Although applicant is aware of devices incorporating both clamping and r0- tating mechanism, these devices are often too bulky to operate in fixtures having limited space between fittings or between fittings and fixtures. The device of this invention in combination with an auxiliary tube twister is particularly useful in changing tubes in such fittings.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A gripper comprising a head having a channel therethrough, a pair of jaws hinged on said head, an element in said channel disposed for. sliding movement along the channel, means on said element engaging said head for restrainin said element against rotation in the bore, said element at one extremity extending. beyond said.

head and being screwed into a handle, a pair of links connecting the other end of the element with the jaws to form a toggle.j0int,, said head. being formed to provide a shoulder in thebore, a compression spring surrounding said element adjacent the toggle end and extending into the bore, said spring acting at one end against said shoulder and at the other end reacting against said element to urge the toggle end ofv the element away fromv said head and urge said handle into contact with said head, said handle upon rotation being effective to cause sliding of said element and actuation. of said toggle jointto open and close said jaws, said. handle at its area of contact with said head forming a stop to restrict movement of saidelement and closing of said jaws beyond a predetermined limit.

2. A gripper comprising a head, apairof jaws hinged on Said head, a pair of links connected to said jaws to form a toggle joint, an element con- '4 nected to the knee of the toggle joint and having a threaded portion extending slidably through said head, a handle mounted for screwing on said threaded portion and adapted to abut said head, and resilient means urging said handle into abutment with said head.

3. A gripper comprising a head, a pair of jaws hinged on said head, a pair of links connected to said jaws to form a toggle joint, an element connected to the knee of the toggle joint and having a threaded portion extending slidably through said head, a handle mounted for screwing on said threaded portion and adapted to abut" said head, and spring means urging said handle into abutment. with said head.

ROBERT T. RIKER. JOSEPH H. MOLAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57.8.,39.4-. Dunn March 1897 1,187,316 Higby June,13, 1916 1,193,685v Harvey. Aug.v 8, 1916 1,704,491. Thompson Mar. 5,1929 1,853,598 Birkenmaier Apr. 12,1932 2,393,880 Beard Jan. 29-, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 234,804 Germany May 22, 1911 

